CHAPTER SIXTEEN

COLE

I shift my car as I fly down the highway. My cock hard and needing her. I’ve tried to play it cool since Friday night in the bathroom at the party. I’ve tried to act like I did Austin Lowes a favor by fucking her, but I want her. And then when I saw her tears, I lost it. They turned me on so much. And the taste of them when I kissed her … They were amazing.

We pull up to the house, and we barge through the front door, my lips on hers. I grip her ass and start carrying her up the stairs.

“Celeste?” she asks against my lips.

I had spoken to her earlier when she messaged me that she couldn’t pick up Lilly from school today. I had to get Blanche to do it. “At the airport …” Kiss. “Picking up Bruce …” Kiss. “We’ve got an hour …”

We enter her room, and I slam the door shut before I toss her onto the bed. She sits up immediately and removes her shirt and bra. I rip my shirt off as she goes for her jeans. She lifts her hips and kicks them off at the same time I toss mine to the side.

Then I crawl onto the bed and straddle her hips. My fingers run over her tattoo on her ribcage even a white rose has a black shadow.

“I’m not going to use protection,” I tell her. She never did mention that last time, but we need to clear that up.

“I’m on the shot.”

Perfect.

She looks up at me as her hands go to my chest, and she drags her nails down my bare skin. I hiss in a breath at the pain. It reminds me of that first night in the cemetery. It had turned me on then just as much as it does now.

I grab her hands and pin them above her head. She arches her back and lets out a moan. “What’s wrong, Cole? Thought you liked a little pain with your pleasure?” She arches a brow in challenge.

I smile and let go of her wrists. “I do.”

“Then ...” She does it again. This time a little slower and harder. Red marks cover my chest and abs, and my cock stands at attention. She looks at it, licking her lips. Then her eyes meet mine. “What are you waiting for, Cole?”

This woman tries my patience. Literally every day, I have to remind myself that this is a game I intend to win. At any cost. Otherwise, she will catch me at a weak moment, and lust makes a man weak. It can make the strongest man falter.

I wrap my hand around her throat and squeeze. She arches her back, and her pretty red lips part. I wish they were wrapped around my cock right now. This time isn’t like the last. I’m not putting on a show for the ones who stand on the other side of the door. This is just for her and me.

“I love it when you challenge me, sweetheart.” I lean down and whisper against her parted lips. She lifts her hips to meet mine, letting me know what she wants, but she’s gonna have to wait. “It lets me remind you where I stand.” I run my tongue along her upper lip while my free hand runs over her shaved pussy. She’s wet. Not caring about foreplay at the moment, I push my hard cock inside her, and her eyes close. “Above you.”

_________________________________

We sit at the table in the formal dining room. Celeste sits across from me, Austin to my left, and Bruce sits at the head of the table to my right. His right-hand man, Raylan, sits to the left. He doesn’t speak. Never does. Not to me anyway. He’s a pussy if you ask me.

It’s going about as well as I thought it would—tense.

The only two people who have spoken since we’ve sat down are Celeste and Austin. And they’re only speaking to one another.

I haven’t touched my food. I didn’t come here for dinner. Well, not the kind their cooks can make me. I came to see the look on Bruce’s face when he saw me. It was priceless. Even now, he stares at me with his dark brown eyes narrowed, trying to figure out my angle. But he’ll never guess. And the fact I was fucking his daughter only an hour ago upstairs makes it even better.

Celeste gets up. “I’m gonna do the dishes,” she announces, and Bruce rolls his eyes. Probably because they have help who does that. But he allows it.

“I’ll help you,” Austin offers, all but running after her, not wanting to be anywhere near her father. The bastard hasn’t even said one word to her, but I think she prefers it that way.

“Leave.” He snaps his fingers at Raylan. He gets up and walks out of the room without a word.

“So,” he starts the moment we’re alone, “I’m a little confused. Which one are you fucking? My daughter or my wife?”

I wanna say both just to be a dick but refrain. Instead, I lean back in my seat, stretching out my legs. “Austin,” I say her name. ’Cause she’s not his daughter. He’s not a dad to her in any way.

He narrows his eyes on me. “So you were screwing my wife before my daughter showed up?”

“I’ve never screwed Celeste.”

He snorts.

“Why would I lie? I’ve got nothing to lose. But since you brought it up … My father told me that you think I spent the night here, but I assure you, I haven’t. Not even since I started seeing Austin.”

He arches a brow. “Trying to be a gentleman, Cole? That’s so out of character for you. I still don’t believe you haven’t slept with my wife, though.”

I lean forward, my forearms on the table. “Come on, Bruce. I’m offended. You know me better than that. If I wanted to fuck your wife, you would never know.” He opens his mouth, but I continue. “But I have a proposition for you.”

He can’t mask his surprise at my words.

We don’t work together. We’re enemies.

All part of my plan.

“I’m listening.”

“My dad also told me that Austin’s mom wants her to live with you until graduation, and you want her out as soon as possible.”

“She doesn’t belong here.” He fists his hands on the table.

“I don’t disagree.”

“I’ve already spoken to her mother. Today. I offered to send Austin back to California with twenty thousand. She said she could return.”

I tilt my head to the side, choosing my words carefully. “I know how you can get rid of her and keep your money.”

“How so?”

The bastard is so money hungry, he’s already sold his soul once. And the devil is gonna be coming to collect soon. He just doesn’t know I’m the one who will deliver him. “Give her to me. Let her stay here. I’ll make sure she stays out of trouble.”

He leans in, his eyes narrowing. “No.” He stands from the table.

I knew he’d say no. That’s why I came prepared. “What if I told you I have something you want?”

He comes to a stop. “What could you have that I would possibly want?”

I dig into my pocket and pull out the single key. I toss it onto the table.

He looks at it, and his eyes flare with anger. “You son of a bitch …”

“It’s all yours. If she stays.”

“It is mine! You stole it.”

“I found it.”

His fisted hands bang against the table, making our glasses rattle. “You fucking stole it!”

I smile up at him. “I dare you to prove it.”

He snarls.

“Do we have a deal or not?”

“You planned this,” he claims, eyes flaring with rage.

I knew I’d need insurance.

He looks at the key longingly. His eyes go from it to me, and he nods. “Done.”

“How do I know you’re not gonna fuck me over?” I ask, picking the key up and twirling the chain around my finger.

“Haven’t you heard of honor among thieves?” he snarls.

I have. I also know how he operates. “She stays.”

His eyes shoot to the direction of the kitchen and then back to me. “Until graduation. And then she’s gone.”

That’s all I need.

“Why do you want her? She can’t be that great of a fuck. Her mother sure as hell wasn’t.”

Sick bastard.

I stand from the table and ignore that statement. “Oh, and just a heads-up. My car will still be here in the morning.”

Just then, Austin enters the dining room. “Let’s go to the media room,” I tell her. “I wanna watch a movie.”

She frowns but nods.

“I’m leaving town tomorrow morning,” her father scowls. “I’ll be gone for two weeks.” Then he walks off.

AUSTIN

“What was that about?” I ask as we enter the media room.

“Nothing,” he says, closing the door behind us.

“Cole?”

“What?”

“Why do you blow off everything I ask?” I plop down onto the circular couch.

He walks past it and goes to the glass table that sits underneath the screen. Grabbing the remotes, he bends down, looking at the stacks of movies underneath it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I shove off my shoes and lean back, crossing my arms over my chest. “Yes, you do,” I argue.

He stays silent while he picks out a movie and pops Gone in Sixty Seconds into the DVD player. He flips the lights off and comes to stand in front of me. I glare up at him as the movie begins.

Then being the bastard that he is, he reaches up and grabs his shirt and pulls it over his head, tossing it to the floor.

“What are you doing?” I ask, the room getting hotter by the second. I hate how my eyes run over the marks that my nails left just an hour ago when we were up in my room. The way he hissed in a breath as I drug my hands down his skin. I want to mark him just as much as he wants to claim me. It’s very unhealthy.

He then reaches for the button on his jeans. “You.”

“Cole.” I look around as if we’re not alone. But we are. “We could have done this in my bedroom.” But my heart starts to pound at the thought of doing it in here while my dad and Celeste are downstairs.

“I wanna do you in here,” he states.

His jeans hit the floor, and then he’s crawling on top of me. I pull back, eyeing him nervously. “You’re up to something.” But my thighs are tight, and my pussy already wet.

He chuckles, gripping the hem of my shirt. “Don’t trust me?”

“No.”

He removes my shirt and tosses it to the floor with his. Then he pulls the straps of my bra down, exposing my breasts. My nipples are hard, and he licks his lips. “Good, because you shouldn’t.” Then he lowers his lips to my skin.

I arch my back and let out a long breath as he sucks on my nipple. Gently biting it. He releases with a popping sound and moves to the other side.

I reach up and grip his hair, pulling on it. He then trails kisses down my stomach. My breath starts coming faster as he kisses my hip bones before dipping between my legs. His tongue licks over my pussy, and I shudder. “Cole.” I pant.

He positions himself between my legs and throws them over his shoulders. I arch my back when his tongue enters me. He fucks me with his mouth as hard as he does with his cock. I cry out and slap my hand over my mouth, not wanting anyone in the house to hear me even though I know they can’t. This is a fifteen thousand square foot house. The odds of them standing on the other side of the door are slim.

That familiar feeling that I get every time he’s had his hands on me starts to build and I arch my back as my eyes close. My thighs tighten around his head and I come with his name mumbled due to my hand still on my mouth.

He lowers my legs and he yanks my hand away. I suck in a raged breath as my body shakes.

He hovers over me as he licks his wet lips. “You taste amazing, sweetheart. Like me.” Then his lips are on mine.

_________________________________

The following Sunday, I find myself back at the clubhouse. And once again, I didn’t get much info about what the hell I’m doing here. But this time, they didn’t give me anything I could use on any of them.

I stand, leaning up against the table to face the open room. Cole stands to my right talking to Deke while Shane and Bennett sit on the couch.

“Where’s Kellan?” Shane asks what I’m thinking.

I’ve tried to steer clear of him at school, but for some reason, he continues to sit next to me at lunch. Thankfully, I don’t have any classes with him, but I can’t hide from him since he’s friends with Cole. Even if their friendship seems to be on the rocks at the moment.

“He’s coming,” Deke assures him.

Cole turns to me. “I’m gonna go over the rules with you.” I nod. Still not sure what we’re doing here. “One, you have a month to complete your dare. But if you complete it sooner, then the next person goes the following week.” So this is about the dares. I swallow, not wanting to do this. “Two, there has to be a consequence for each dare. If the dare is not completed, you must face the consequence by midnight on the last day. Three, there are no limits to the dares.” No limits? That makes my stomach knot up. “Four, if your dare gets picked, you may choose to be present while the dare is being completed.” I break out in a sweat and look at Deke. What if I get his, and he wants to go with me? I don’t wanna be alone with him. He smiles and then gives me a wink like he knows what I’m thinking. “Last rule ... you get caught, you’re on your own. Understand?”

“Yes,” I say with a head nod, but on the inside, I am shaking.

The door opens, and Kellan walks in. His eyes are on mine while he walks over to the table. I take a step toward Cole, and he places his arm over my shoulders, and I let out a shaky breath. Although Cole is the reason I’m here, he makes me feel the safest. He’s made it very clear that he won’t tolerate Kellan touching me. I’m not so sure if he would stop Deke, though I’m hoping I don’t have to find out.

“Here you go.” Shane walks around, handing each of us a piece of paper and a pen. Then he goes back to sit down on the couch.

I remove myself from Cole’s arm and turn to face the table. Bending over, my pen hovers over the paper.

What kind of dare could I possibly do? Shelby told me they have been doing these for a while, and they physically hurt themselves. I don’t want to be responsible for someone getting hurt. That will just give them another reason to hate me.

Think! What all has Cole told me? Not much. I know they killed a guy. I know that the guy has a brother who beat his wife and then killed her …

I get a thought. It’s crazy and borderline illegal, but not enough to where I would spend the rest of my life in prison. Or end up dead.

I hear the guys behind me and know they are all done. They knew what tonight was so they already had their dares chosen before they walked in the door.

Even though I didn’t want anything to do with this, I feel like now I have something to prove. I have to show them that I’m not afraid. I can hang with them.

I write down my dare and consequence and stick it in a bowl in the middle of the room. Then go sit on the couch next to Cole. I cross my legs, and he slides his hand between them, gripping my inner thigh. Kellan’s eyes go to his hand and then to Cole’s. He doesn’t acknowledge him. But I tense.

Why does he hate me so much? Does he not understand that I don’t want to be here?

Shane walks up to the bowl and draws a piece of paper out. His eyes go straight to mine. I swallow nervously.

He begins. “SURPRISE! I’ll meet you in the sea. We’ll swim together as we flee.” He looks at Cole and then back down at the paper. “Consequence: you must dress like me for the day.”

Kellan is the first one to speak. “What the fuck is this shit?’

Cole shifts his body on the couch and turns to me. “This isn’t how it works, Austin.”

“What?” I shrug. “You didn’t say it couldn’t be done like that.” I didn’t want to give the dare away because I don’t want to be told I can’t do it by someone. I had to make it to where no one would catch onto it. If they’re making me do this, I’m all in. Too late to turn back now.

“It doesn’t make any fucking sense,” Kellan snaps.

“It’s a riddle, idiot,” Cole defends me. I almost smile.

“Absolutely not!” he snarls at Cole. “Draw again, Shane,” he demands.

“No,” Bennett says. “She’s right. She isn’t breaking any rules. And that is what he drew. We’ve never had anyone draw twice before, so we’re not gonna start now.”